Which class is decent with pugs?

Hi, I'm trying to decide which profession I should play for group contents, so I'd like to hear some advice from more experienced players.

After playing them all, I skimmed the choice to the following ones (more or less in order of preference):

• Soulbeast (condi, Axe/Torch + Shortbow)
• Mirage (condi, Axe/Torch + Staff)
• Herald (power, Sword/Sword with Jalis/Glint)
• Holosmith (power, Sword/Shield)
• Necromancer (yes core..., power with Axe/whatever)

So, I usually like axes and I prefer classes with more survivability. So far I played a Tempest in group contents, and I liked it, but I die too often. Maybe going celestial would be easier, but I don't think that even 2k more HP would save me against Mordremoth CM.Basically I'd like to play some dungeons/mid-tiers fractals/trying the Migraine achiev and in general group contents with random players, where the fight could go "OMG, Retreat!". So a class that it's still somehow useful in group, but that doesn't require to have all the members stacked on you for the boons.

With those choices, I'd say go for mirage. That spec can achieve insane things even without support.

Condi mirage is pretty dang survivable, both in terms of sustain and mobility, and my understanding is that it does pretty respectable PvE DPS too....idk though, I can only speak as to its effectiveness in WvW and in open world.

Thank you for the feedback! With the Soulbeast I have more reliable CC (especially on static mobs, with traps) and 2 very strong group healings when I use the bear/jacaranda, plus some boon sharing through stances. But you're right, the Mirage deals a bit more damage, especially if I have enough freedom to aggro all the mobs in the room (with random teleporting and bouncing orbs from the staff, I often aggro the world... but they all die pretty fast). Maybe I could swap the torch for the pistol, if the group needs more CC.

For myself, self-sustain becomes #1 priority in a pug setting, since you don't know who you are playing with, how they are specced, and have limited comms to call for aid.

Thing about Soulbeast is your sustain is on a cooldown, whereas Necro running Blood magic has solid and consistant health regen. I can't speak as to its damage as my Necro is still in her 50's, but a few of my guildys run with Vamp Presence up, and they seem to have no problem with survival.

@"Urud.4925" said:

• Necromancer (yes core..., power with Axe/whatever)Why core? Reaper is otherwise a much more fun version of the necro while retaining the shroud. It's got high level of survivability even in full zerker gear, since the shroud offer a defense against boss attacks (ie things that instantly kill others barely phase them, unless its one of those fun attacks hitting for 1.5 million damage with zero tell). Its also good for shifting specs without shifting gear (ie you can go "tank", minion master, balls to the walls dps or anything in between with strong modifiers in each traitline) and pretty much the only spec I've been able to solo really tricky things like the stupid mushroom queen (other classes can do it but hey skill is skill and I know my limits).

Otherwise, soulbeast is one of the easiest to do (and sb/sb even easier than easy) since the pet is immortal.

@Optimator.3589 said:Condi mirage is pretty dang survivable, both in terms of sustain and mobility, and my understanding is that it does pretty respectable PvE DPS too....idk though, I can only speak as to its effectiveness in WvW and in open world.

I'd have to say this: all Mesmer specs have a medium skill floor, and a very high skill ceiling. If you play them well enough then they have OK survivability, if you play them well they are amazingly invincible. However, they absolutely do take time to get up to speed with, and if they are an early class you may experience that they are super-squishy, super-slow, and generally suck.

Then you try again years later, and learn that it was actually me the player who sucked at Mesmer.

@Turkeyspit.3965 said:For myself, self-sustain becomes #1 priority in a pug setting, since you don't know who you are playing with, how they are specced, and have limited comms to call for aid.

Thing about Soulbeast is your sustain is on a cooldown, whereas Necro running Blood magic has solid and consistant health regen. I can't speak as to its damage as my Necro is still in her 50's, but a few of my guildys run with Vamp Presence up, and they seem to have no problem with survival.

Core necro is far below either Reaper or Scourge in terms of survivability and damage. Power Reaper is reasonable, condition variants are quite good, and both of them can use parasitic contagion to get constant DPS to healing, at quite high levels. Given damage output in the region of 8-10k per second, that is 800 to 1000 health per second constantly flooding in, without considering any other sources of sustain. (...and reaper has a second health bar, giving them ~ 25k full glass, and ~ 30k to 35k if they use something with vitality as well)

Anyway, basically ... you want the elite spec, either one, on necro. There isn't really a power scourge available, but power reaper is definitely solid and effective. If you want axes, an axe/*, GS power reaper is an excellent choice.

@Dawdler.8521 said:

@"Urud.4925" said:

• Necromancer (yes core..., power with Axe/whatever)Why core? Reaper is otherwise a much more fun version of the necro while retaining the shroud. It's got high level of survivability even in full zerker gear, since the shroud offer a defense against boss attacks (ie things that instantly kill others barely phase them, unless its one of those
  fun
  attacks hitting for 1.5 million damage with zero tell). Its also good for shifting specs without shifting gear (ie you can go "tank", minion master, balls to the walls dps or anything in between with strong modifiers in each traitline) and pretty much the only spec I've been able to solo really tricky things like the stupid mushroom queen (other classes can do it but hey skill is skill and I know my limits).

I usually test a class on the Troll HP in Tangled Depths, and basically I've been able to kill that boss much faster with a core necro. For the reason that @Turkeyspit.3965 said: Blood Magic :)I tried to swap Death Magic for Blood Magic on the Reaper (much funnier to play, I admit it, especially in shroud with the ice combo), but the result wasn't that good as with the core necro minion master.

@Turkeyspit.3965 self-sustain is also my biggest priority in such groups. You're right, the necro with Blood Magic is quite good (even for your allies), but I didn't have much problems so far with a Soulbeast either: if I'm dying, I fuse with the bear and get 4-5k HP (same if it's the pet that it's dying: fuse -> heal -> break fusion and the pet is again 100% hp!). If you have both the brown bear and jacaranda, you can basically heal yourself (and your group) with 4-5k HP every 20 seconds, plus your 8k from #6. It's quite a lot.Damm, they are all good classes :)

@Urud.4925 said:

@Dawdler.8521 said:

@Urud.4925 said:

• Necromancer (yes core..., power with Axe/whatever)Why core? Reaper is otherwise a much more fun version of the necro while retaining the shroud. It's got high level of survivability even in full zerker gear, since the shroud offer a defense against boss attacks (ie things that instantly kill others barely phase them, unless its one of those
  fun
  attacks hitting for 1.5 million damage with zero tell). Its also good for shifting specs without shifting gear (ie you can go "tank", minion master, balls to the walls dps or anything in between with strong modifiers in each traitline) and pretty much the only spec I've been able to solo really tricky things like the stupid mushroom queen (other classes can do it but hey skill is skill and I know my limits).

Hrm. I'd certainly suggest the https://metabattle.com/wiki/Build:Reaper_-_Power_Minion_Master build is a fine example of reaper based, but hey, your game, your choice.

If your goal is to solo champions and stuff, I'd encourage you to consider the question of condition damage. As a rule, that is a ranged spec, it has much better sustain while dealing with mechanics (aka running around dodging the fire), and on necro is not projectile based, so you don't suffer from reflects or projectile blocks. (At least, on the surface, thanks for making my underwater bleeds projectiles, anet.)

What you won't get there is axe, but that might be an acceptable trade-off to you.